About Me

Hello!! Welcome to my world :) I am a B.E. student and a self declared Bibliophile. Reading has taken its toll on me and now its time I pen something myself ;) Apart from my love for books, I also love sketching, painting, singing and cooking (Well only for the occasional experiments that i make ;)) Of course, now writing top the above list! This blog is a platform for me to share my thoughts. If you like any of my posts, do stop by and leave a comment :)

It is
a book about – College courage. Dreams. Failures. Entrepreneurship. And a
....Relationship

A work of fiction 'My Fantastic Failures' is based on a real life story of a
brother and sister who entered an interesting pact to safeguard each other’s
dreams in face of all failures.

This powerful and fast paced story brings out a beautiful relationship of the
two and how far they went to finally fail the failure.

Set in the backdrop of college life, this inspiring, dramatic, daring and yet
humour filled story has the ‘what next element’ to keep you hooked.

A roller coaster ride in itself, the story deals with managing expectations
when one is born and brought up in an IIT campus, entrepreneurship, braving
countless failures and also facing the threat of getting dropped out of college
(India’s no. 1 fashion institute).

My Review:

Money is the ultimate goal for many people. What crossroads can one take to earn more? How much greed can a person have and to what extent will this be satisfied? Vijay and Paul, back in their college days, invented a machine which they called God or Noek. It had the capability of earning huge profit for them at the cost of jeopardizing the whole nation's financial market. But what happens when Paul kicks out Vijay out of his own machine? Akram, JASON's head is facing some fluctuations in their trade and he has no idea what or who it is responsible for the loss he is suffering from. Rahul, the young to-be entrepreneur is found dead as soon as he signed his contract with JASON. When Sahil connects the dot and finds a link with all these incidents, will he be able to take his revenge? Could he bring justice or will he fall prey to his own trap?

Things I Liked:

The chapters are short and precise.

The author has narrated the story in a no-nonsense manner.

The language was simple and the narration quite engaging.

The whole idea of Noek and MemoryWall was fascinating to read.

Sahil's plan and the way he executed it was something I liked.

Things I Disliked:

The pace was too quick. The dots were getting connected sooner that I would have liked. It gives the reader little time to get into the mystery cracking mode but the story ends very soon.

Verdict:

A fast paced book in which the dots get connected soon and the game is over even before you have realized it. It will leave you asking for more.

Everyone has their secrets… But what if one common
student’s secret has the potential of bringing down an entire nation’s
financial markets. What would it take for him to reveal this secret?

In 2014

One of Nation’s leading investment bank is in
danger of losing its fifty million dollar investment just four weeks after
funding a start-up at a valuation of one thousand crore rupees.

In 2015

A man is faced with a most peculiar choice – to
avenge his brother’s murder or take revenge for his father’s betrayal?Googled by God is a fast moving financial thriller
that takes the reader on a journey to the dark realms of entrepreneurship and
technology. Revolving around the ever changing worlds of stock markets,
investments and money, the reader soon finds himself in the middle of a
dangerous game of emotions and karma.

My Review:

Money is the ultimate goal for many people. What crossroads can one take to earn more? How much greed can a person have and to what extent will this be satisfied? Vijay and Paul, back in their college days, invented a machine which they called God or Noek. It had the capability of earning huge profit for them at the cost of jeopardizing the whole nation's financial market. But what happens when Paul kicks out Vijay out of his own machine? Akram, JASON's head is facing some fluctuations in their trade and he has no idea what or who it is responsible for the loss he is suffering from. Rahul, the young to-be entrepreneur is found dead as soon as he signed his contract with JASON. When Sahil connects the dot and finds a link with all these incidents, will he be able to take his revenge? Could he bring justice or will he fall prey to his own trap?

Things I Liked:

The chapters are short and precise.

The author has narrated the story in a no-nonsense manner.

The language was simple and the narration quite engaging.

The whole idea of Noek and MemoryWall was fascinating to read.

Sahil's plan and the way he executed it was something I liked.

Things I Disliked:

The pace was too quick. The dots were getting connected sooner that I would have liked. It gives the reader little time to get into the mystery cracking mode but the story ends very soon.

Verdict:

A fast paced book in which the dots get connected soon and the game is over even before you have realized it. It will leave you asking for more.

Here
comes a compilation of 40 short stories by Meena R Chandawarkar and Santosh
Avvannavar that uses The Umbilical Cord as a metaphor to bring social awareness
and intends to draw the reader’s attention towards the society. The stories in
this book revolve around love, forgiveness, empathy etc. as society is a cobweb
of relationships. There is something for everyone in this book. Read on to find
out which ‘cord’ is closer to your heart, as the Umbilical Cord is an
attachment that remains forever…the name says it all…

My Review:

This book, as mentioned in the blurb is a collection of 40 short stories.
There are many things that remain with us in this life time. These things are
compared to the Umbilical Cord - A Cord that remains, always, in many ways.
Among the 40 short stories, some were good and some weren't. Many of the
stories in the collection were thought provoking. They make you ponder on so
many aspects of life.

The chapter titles
and the tag line associated with each one of them was self explanatory. It
pretty much gave an idea about what to expect in that particular chapter. All
the stories are extremely short, 2 - 3 pages in length. While this is good in
the sense that the stories make a quick read, some of the stories felt incomplete.
It felt like the stories ended too soon before making an impact on readers.

The language used is
simple and easy to understand. A wide range of topics are covered and many of them attempt on creating social awareness. There is something for every type of reader in this book, which he/she can relate to. This realistic approach helps the readers to identify with the stories, which is very important. All in all, this book is a very quick
read which will give some food for your thoughts.

“Life
is like a guitar. Tune. Play. Repeat,” says Viktor, a US based financial
professional of Indian origin. He was rich, smart, intelligent, witty and
emotional too, but still was lost in finding the purpose of his life. In spite
of his great job and hefty pay package, he didn't feel the sense of
contentment.

Then
he met Kim, his lady luck. She helped him realize his dream life, sparking a
love story. Despite his failure in pursuit of his dream, Kim stood by him…till
she decided to move on. Viktor is heart-broken, lost again, and struggles to
balance his aspirations and office life.

This
story is his journey through life-changing experiences in India and USA –
ranging from writing his first book to becoming a coach for cancer fighters,
and then a motivational speaker, to finally becoming the Guru with Guitar.

My Review:

We are always running after something or the
other in our lives. First it is good grades, then it is good job and then it is
a good lifestyle where you get a comfortable salary. But only once you reach
this stage will you realize that life is not as easy as you expected it to be.
The hectic schedule takes out all the fun from life and what you are left with
is disappointment.

It is in this stage, we meet Viktor. He has achieved
that good position job and money wise but when it comes to his personal
satisfaction, he realizes that he is far off from the mark. Confused and
frustrated, he tries to find the purpose of his life, to balance between work
and his dreams. Then he meets Kim, his lady luck, who stands by his side
through thick and thin and gently guides him in finding his true calling. From
Viktor's confused state to the time where he finds happiness, from finding
inspiration to inspiring others to achieve their dreams, from rejections to
gaining world wide popularity and from budding love to heart breaks, it is a
story worth reading.

Things I Liked:

There
are many things one can learn from Viktor's story.

More
than anything, I loved the quotes in the book. The way Viktor and Kim
conversed using quotes was something I enjoyed reading.

The
poems too (some in English and some in Hindi) were good.

Viktor's
confusion with life, his desire to do something great, his pursuing of
dreams, Kim's never ending support, Amber's sweet nature are all blended
perfectly to make the story appealing.

I
loved the sweet love brewing between Victor and Kim. It was all good till
the point where the story takes a drastic turn.

The
way the chapters were named and how the same was incorporated in the story
was interesting.

The
narration was good. The language in which this story is written is simple
and easy to understand. The pace was neither fast nor slow making it a
balanced read.

Things I Disliked:

The
ending seemed like it was written in a hurry. It didn't have the appeal as
the previous chapters had.

Editing:
The last two chapters seemed to be swapped. I was really confused when I
came to the last chapter and found Kim still in hospital when I had read
something different in the previous chapter.

Verdict:

A book with good beginning which makes you evaluate what you have achieve
so far in life and how happy are you with it. The story flows smoothly till it
reaches the end where everything happens so abruptly. All in all, this book is
worth reading for there are many lessons you can learn from it.

Sarthak
Arora is a good looking and intelligent engineering graduate from Delhi who has
recently bagged a high paying job with an IT company in Kolkata.

Sarangi Sen is a beautiful, vivacious Bengali
girl working as a front office manager at The Grand Vilas, a luxury hotel in
Kolkata. Opposites in every way, the attraction is instant and mutual; so is
their falling in love, though it remains unprofessed for long. When things seem
to be falling on track, like a bolt from the blue,

Sarangi is diagnosed with a medical condition
that leaves her with only three months to live. With no visible solution at
hand, nothing but fate seems to be holding power. Would Sarthak be able to
alter Sarangi's destiny and save his love? Or would he let Sarangi succumb to
the design of the mighty invisible script of fate? When the Heavens Smiled is a
heart-stopping spiritual, heroic, tender and intense love story that will open
up your mind to new and uncharted realms of life.

My Review:

Sarthak is a smart person (looks and intellect wise) who is working for
NetCon Consulting. His life comprises of working hard in office and enjoying
with his two jobless best buddies post office. He somehow has the knack of getting
into most embarrassing situations most of the times. Life was pretty normal (or
as much normal as it could be for Sarthak) until that evening in Hotel Grand
Vilas. When Sarthak meets Sarangi for the first time, it was love at first
sight. And what happens from here is a roller coaster ride for them both.

From the point where they both experience ecstasy in their new found
relations to when Sarangi is diagnosed with a medical condition, it leaves them
all shattered. It is at this condition that Sarthak has to decide how far he
can go to save his love. Sometimes there comes a situation in our lives where
everything seems to be going against us. Will Sarthak be able to stay strong in
such a situation? When things which challenge his beliefs happen and he has to
make a choice, will he be able to choose wisely? Can he fight destiny to save
his love or will destiny tear apart this blooming love? Read the book to know
more.

Things I Liked:

Sarthak's go-get-it attitude
was something that I liked a lot. His confidence and never give up mantra
earned him brownie points.

The numerous oops situations
that Sarthak finds himself in were hilarious.

It is always the unknown
that we fear and it is the unknown that we battle against. The human mind
refuses to accept anything that it doesn't know. There were many
situations which makes you question your belief. Though some of them are
difficult to believe, its all about our faith.

I liked how the author has
depicted 'No matter how hard life gets, there will always be a way out'

A few incidents where people
forget their differences and come forward to help one another were heart
warming.

Things I Disliked:

The author hasn't done
justice to the story between Sarthak and Sarangi. The story was so much
centered around Sarthak that sometimes it felt like Sarangi was a side
character.

The characterization could
have been better. Many characters were just introduced but soon they were
forgotten.

The flow could have been
smoother.

Verdict:

Not particularly awesome but not bad either. It was a slow paced, thought
provoking tale with a dash of humor and spirituality. All in all, advised for a
quick and one time read.

No
one, not even god can write a perfect end for you! Unless he is dying.

Mighty
and irreplaceable as they are, words are lethal weapons that change lives… by
sometimes linking two hearts and sometimes shattering everything
irreparably.

But
when they are woven into promises, the change lasts forever.

He
had almost lost himself when she brought him back to life with her promises.
Dying from a dreadful tumour, every night before they went to sleep, she took a
portion of his heart and soul as promises. For better or worse, he'd have to
keep the promises for the rest of his life.

On
his journey of fulfilling those promises, his bond is strengthened with all
those who, like him, are keeping their promises.

What
were those amusing, surprising and painful promises they all kept?

Can
you live and die…both at the same time?

Meet
the girl who changed the lives of the people she loved, and those who find
their true selves in Keeping the Promises.

My Review:

Characters:

Meet Dhruv. An MBBS student who got admission purely because of his dad's
money, fitness freak, nerd and a cool guy with a devil-may-care attitude. He
can go to any length to help his friends. Bound by promises he made to his
dying girl friend, he is on a mission to bring his life back on track.

Meet M, the cheerful and bubbly girl, who puts her friends and family's
needs before her own happiness. On her death bed, M wants to leave behind her
loved ones in a state from where they can carry on with their lives without
brooding.

Plot:

To what lengths will you go to ensure the happiness of someone you love?
What would you do if you are left with no choice but to watch the love of your
life die in front of your eyes even though you could save them? This is the
story of M and Dhruv. M, who is suffering from Neurofibrosarcoma, makes everything
in her power to ensure that her loved ones remain happy even after her death
and Dhruv, even though belongs to a family of doctors, couldn't get his girl
friend treated because she refuses to.

Dhruv's life changes drastically when he discovers M has
Neurofibrosarcoma. He would have lost himself if not for the promises M takes
from him every night. Though some of them seem absurd, they does make sense in
the end. Discover their journey together as Dhruv narrates their story to her
everyday and as they relive those magical moments once again. It is a beautiful
love story that will touch your heart and makes you both happy and sad.

Things I Liked:

The narration is what caught
my attention first. Narrated through Nirali's view and then through Dhruv
as he writes the novel, it flowed pretty smoothly.

The suspense as to how
Nirali is associated with M kept me curious till the end.

The small notes with which Dhruv woke M everyday were my favorite. I loved reading these sweet notes.

The characterization was
done well and the side characters were also given equal importance. The
way Ansh and Angie's story developed and the way it ended (no I am not
including spoilers!) was a treat to read.

I loved the way emotions
were handled throughout the story. There were also many LOL moments in the
story which I enjoyed thoroughly.

From M's stubbornness to her
love, from Dhruv's carelessness attitude to his tender nature, M's
parents' bonding with Dhruv, Ansh and Angie's love and break up, from Badepapa's
threats to Rishi's love for his sister, it made an awesome read.

There were many flavors to
the story - friendship, love, mystery, humor and yes, break ups too and it
was a perfect blend of all these.

Things I Disliked:

I was expecting something
more about Nirali and M's association considering how Nirali was scared
about Dhruv not talking to her when he finds out the truth. I must say,
this was where I was a bit disappointed.

I couldn't help but hate M
sometimes for being so stubborn about the treatment. Though it was for the
good, there were some times, when I just hated her for putting Dhruv and
others through so much.

Verdict:

It's not just another cancer patients' lover story; this much I can
guarantee you. The story is written and narrated so beautifully that you
wouldn't want to stop reading it till the end. One of the most beautiful tale I
have read recently. Highly Recommended!

She achieved everything she wanted. She gave way
to who wandered away from their path or had no opportunity by founding a music
studio and exploring her own love for music. Her life was perfect until the day
her world went upside down. She quietly surrendered to the situations and stood
brave for rest of her world. Her friends also wanted her to move on. But then
HE arrived. HE was her admirer and the only one, she was comfortable with.
Still, she pulled her feet back when love bloomed in her life again instead of
indulging into HIS life. So, what troubled her?

That was not the end of her story, but was it
the beginning or she just had a pit-stop?

Come let’s discover the destination of her
story.

My Review:

Adhira is someone, who all her life, has put
the dreams of others' ahead of her own. She is strong and independent yet
fragile somehow. She is a successful woman who has achieved great heights in
her life all by herself. The story begins with a shocking news where we get to
know that Adhira is suffering from Bone Marrow Aplasia. Things start to get
complicated when she refuses to take treatment. But Adhira being the selfless
person, once again puts her friend's happiness in front of her own and starts
to plan and prepare for her best friend and soul sister Riddhi's wedding in
full swing. But as much as she tries to remain happy, things have a way of
getting out of her hands and soon she finds herself at a juncture from where
she couldn't get back. Her world is shattered totally and her smile seems to be
lost. What will happen from then? Will she be able to find her way back? Will
she find love again and if she does, will she be able to give it another shot?
Read this beautiful journey of Adhira to find out more.

Things I Liked:

Adhira's
character is sketched really well as a girl who cares about her friends
more than herself.

Her
selflessness and stability of thoughts were worth appreciating. It is hard
not to like her after you read about her.

The
picturesque beauty of Manali, the enjoyment of the friends' gang, the
preparations for the dream wedding, the mischief and the brewing love were
some of the WOWs of the story.

The
bonding between Adhira and Siddharth was woven so beautifully that it was
a treat to read.

The
ending hasn't been done with a happily ever after. It is written in a way
where hope is visible at the end of the tunnel but the journey till there
is left to the imagination of the readers. That, somehow, seemed
realistic.

The
title suits well with the story line. Finding the lost love is depicted
well in Adhira's story.

Also,
the cover picture is beautiful and somehow manages to capture the beauty
and innocence of Adhira well.

Things I Disliked:

The
third person narration gets confusing sometimes. Especially when 'I' is
used, it takes some time to realize it's not in reference to the
protagonist but to Riddhi.

There
were many typos and grammatical errors. The book would have been really
good if the editing was done well.

The
flow wasn't quite smooth.

Attention
wasn't given to the side characters much. They were introduced and brought
into the picture but soon their presence would be ignored completely.

Verdict:

A nice book but could have been lot better with some good editing and
stabilized narration. Nevertheless, the story is quite good and makes a quick
read. Recommended for those who like to read love stories.

What
if the one you completely love is the one you simply can't! Twenty-six-year-old
Eila Sood moves to America to mend fences with her estranged older sister,
Sheela. Eila and the rest of the family in India had cut off ties with Sheela
after she married Steve Jacobs, 'out of caste, and out of color'. Elia soon
realizes that Sheela's marriage is on the rocks. To help pay Sheela's household
bills, Eila takes a second job at an afternoon strip club. When she crosses
paths with the owner, the handsome Brett Wright or 'blue-eyed ogre' as Elia
calls him, he both infuriates and fascinates her. Brett turns out to be her
reluctant and unquestionably sarcastic knight in shining armor. As Eila and
Brett spend more time together their desire for each other builds. However,
when Brett discovers the true reason for Eila's refusal he storms out of her
life, accusing her of being a prejudiced coward. Will Eila find the courage to
break stereotypes and embrace her love? Will Brett find solace in the arms of
his ex-girlfriend Cate? Will Sheela and Steve divorce? All of these questions
and more are answered in Varsha Dixit's latest and humorous and steamy love
story.

My Review:

The title of the story made me curious. 'What might actually be the
story behind it?' was what prompted me to pick up this book. And I am glad I
did. It was such a wonderful and hilarious read.

When Eila leaves India to work in New York, there is only one rule her mom sets
for her - Only Wheat Not White. Eila agrees readily because she had never
imagined meeting a handsome blue eyed ogre, who though irritates her to no end
at first, later makes her go weak in the knees and make her want to stop time
just so that she could be with him. While Eila set out to New York, it was only
to mend the broken ties of her family. Sheela was outcasted for marrying Steve,
a foreigner, against her family's wishes. After years when Eila comes to meet
her sister, her only goal is to bring her family together. But things start to
get complicated when she realizes Sheela's is not a happy marriage. When things
get difficult, Eila goes an extra mile to support her sister but what will
happen when she falls for Brett Wright? Will she be able to ignore her feelings
for long and abide by her mother's rule or will love overpower her fears of
suffering the same feat at Sheela?

In a country where love marriages still raise eyebrows, marrying someone
from a different country is out of questions. Love, quarrels, hatred, heart
breaks, friendship, craziness - the story has it all. The NRI life style has been
portrayed perfectly. The unexpected turn of events, the steaming hot love story
between Eila and the handsome Brett, Steve's soft side, Eila's uncanny ability
to fall into trouble all made the story all the more interesting.

Things I Liked:

I
loved Brett Wright! The handsome, drool worthy male protagonist made sure
I never lost interest in the story.

It
wasn't just Brett, the narration, the pace and the articulation,
everything is mixed perfectly which makes the book a big success.

I
loved the subtle sense of humor which was sprinkled throughout the story.

Eila's
clumsiness, her bouts with the most embarrassing situations and her
actions makes you laugh.

Eila's
habit of putting someone's happiness before her's, the way she helps her
sister even though she had to step out of her comfort zone, made her an
endearing person. (But when she refuses to see sense when it came to
Brett, I wanted to shake her up)

Even
the side characters were sketched well. I loved Megan the most. Eila's
role of cupid in Megan's love story and her tips were sometimes
hilarious.

Verdict:

Pick up the book without second thoughts. It is a funny and fast paced
read and definitely a page turner. It will leave you rolling with laughter and
will make a good weekend read. Highly recommended.